Considering buying DVC - A few questions?

I should have said that we've stayed at BCV, BLT, and SSR in the past so we're very familiar with those properties. I love the suggestion of looking at the model villa at Boardwalk. I knew it was there but had forgotten.
Good point about Marathon Weekend. I will miss it in 2014 due to a work commitment the following weekend so that may not be a given in the immediate future anyway. We recently lost my mother with whom we've always spent Christmas so I wouldn't rule out a Christmas trip, either. That also makes February a poor choice. Decisions. Decisions.
It did look like BLT and BWV had more availability in our most desired Use Years so maybe that's the answer.
I'm going to keep reading and learning and browsing the resale listings. We're heading to the World in 9 days so we will have a chance to look around and think about our preferences (my kids say that BLT is their favorite hotel and are surprisingly unanimous on that!). Plus, having 2 bathrooms in a one bedroom villa ain't nothing.

So I have spent about a year actively reading this forum to learn as much as I can about DVC. We are a family of 5 that travels to Disney at least 1-2 times per year (usually more - I run a few runDisney races each year). My eldest child is turning 9 on Tuesday with a 7 year old and almost 5 year old. My husband and I are both doctors and are finally ready to be able to pay cash for a small-ish resale contract. We refused to finance a Timeshare purchase or we would have purchased sooner. We can afford the annual fees and we have been purchasing Annual Passes anyway so we understand about the increasing ticket prices.
I think we want either a June or August Use Year at Beach Club Villas. We've gone to Disney the last week in August for 4 straight years and I've run during January Marathon Weekend for 3 straight years. We're also traveling to Disney for February break this year. And, as the kids get older, my DH and I will enjoy an adult trip for F&W festival. Am I correct that those are the best Use Years for us?
I saw one contract come up last weekend which looked perfect but sold before I could ask my husband's permission. I'm thinking we can afford 100 points or fewer to start. I signed up to receive emails from the big 3 resale agencies but it seems that the contracts I would want are few and far between.
Any advice on finding the right contract faster? Is it just a matter of being patient and the right contract will arrive?
What am I missing in my thought process? Any extraneous advice or opinions?

Thank you in advance! I look forward to learning more!

Amanda

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Everything you wrote gives me the impression, you are on the right track and understand what you are doing. My only concern for your family is the quantity of points you are thinking of purchasing. 100 points will not get you very far especially since as a family of five you need at least a one bedroom. I would suggest a contract of over two hundred points. With 100 points the best you will do is bank, borrow and go every three years..........

Everything you wrote gives me the impression, you are on the right track and understand what you are doing. My only concern for your family is the quantity of points you are thinking of purchasing. 100 points will not get you very far especially since as a family of five you need at least a one bedroom. I would suggest a contract of over two hundred points. With 100 points the best you will do is bank, borrow and go every three years..........

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I totally understand what you're saying and I appreciate that we will need more points than we think. Especially since I'm planning to buy APs for my family in 9 days... (I already have an AP.)
The question then becomes, "Is it worth waiting another 2 years to be able to buy a 200 point contract? Or should we buy 100 points now and another 100 points in 2 years?"
I have no doubt that a smaller contract won't go very far for our family but... I traveled to Disney 2x last year by myself where I could have used a studio instead of paying cash (I had roommates for both trips and stayed in a BCV studio once and Poly once). In 2012 alone I went to Disney on 5 separate trips of varying lengths - ranging from 1 night (before a cruise) to 1 week. I certainly could have used some DVC points for something and then paid cash for our week-long family trip in August (in 2012 we rented points at Wyndham Bonnet Creek and had a great trip. Minus Hurricane Isaac.)
Obviously I don't know the answer to that question. And it partially depends on little things like: What contracts are available in the near future? How much do we owe in taxes this April? (We pay quarterly so it wouldn't be surprising if we owe something by April 15th.) Etc. I feel strongly that I won't let buying DVC compromise our family's financial situation/cash flow. Despite the fact that we've gone to Disney no less than twice a year since 2009, I've held off on DVC because of that.
My strategy for now is to keep researching. I can already see that if we chose BWV over BCV we could probably get at least 160 points without causing major financial strain. And maybe even with BCV or BLT we could afford the 160 points. I kind of want to see what the accountant says about our taxes before I commit to anything.

I posted the link because I also find it interesting. I can't say that I understand why they sell the points in the distributions that they do. I would say that it is probably more important to buy a UY that works best for your travel patterns rather than adjust you purchase plan based on the distribution of points.

I spoke to my husband about the difficulty with our preferred Use Years being limited at Beach Club and we discussed several options: Look for a February Use Year which is more common at BCV or consider another resort - likely either BWV or BLT. . .He seems pretty supportive of the idea of buying a resale contract and maybe even willing to increase the number of points for an initial contract.

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It may take a little longer if you are doing several small sequential add-ons, but in 2-3 years, you may be in a position to buy 200-300 points and it won't matter. Additionally, I am not sure that there is a "perfect" UY for young people with young children, as the next 15-20 years will be heavily influenced by your children's ability to travel to Disney.

Good point about Marathon Weekend. I will miss it in 2014 due to a work commitment the following weekend so that may not be a given in the immediate future anyway. We recently lost my mother with whom we've always spent Christmas so I wouldn't rule out a Christmas trip, either. That also makes February a poor choice. Decisions. Decisions.
It did look like BLT and BWV had more availability in our most desired Use Years so maybe that's the answer.
I'm going to keep reading and learning and browsing the resale listings. We're heading to the World in 9 days so we will have a chance to look around and think about our preferences (my kids say that BLT is their favorite hotel and are surprisingly unanimous on that!). Plus, having 2 bathrooms in a one bedroom villa ain't nothing.

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My condolences on the loss of your mother. My father died 13 years ago and I still miss him dearly. Watching his two year battle with cancer was one of the most difficult experiences of my life as a physician. But enough of the emotional mumbo jumbo.

You should definitely buy at the resort that you really desire to have the 11 month advantage, which is especially important for the Christmas holiday and F&W. If that is BCV, then go for it. If the Feb UY is what works, then just stalk the resale sites daily until what you are looking for comes along. Don't settle for something that you won't be happy with for the life of your ownership -- it's too much money to settle. You may have to live with your decision for at least 30 years!

With that said, there was recently a thread about late cancellations with respect to UY, and in that thread, the prevailing opinion was that it has generally never been an issue for most who posted. As a physician, you generally have to plan far in advance, so in my experience, I have never had to cancel or re-schedule a planned getaway in over 15 years of practice.

Enjoy your upcoming visit. I also think it is a great idea to visit the BWV model. It is a great resort, and the BW-view rooms are awesome! We had a 1BR BW-view last spring and we are spending 2 nights there in a BW-view studio over Spring Break (which I was able to score about 2 weeks ago!). Gotta love DVC!

I totally understand what you're saying and I appreciate that we will need more points than we think. Especially since I'm planning to buy APs for my family in 9 days... (I already have an AP.)
The question then becomes, "Is it worth waiting another 2 years to be able to buy a 200 point contract? Or should we buy 100 points now and another 100 points in 2 years?"
I have no doubt that a smaller contract won't go very far for our family but... I traveled to Disney 2x last year by myself where I could have used a studio instead of paying cash (I had roommates for both trips and stayed in a BCV studio once and Poly once). In 2012 alone I went to Disney on 5 separate trips of varying lengths - ranging from 1 night (before a cruise) to 1 week. I certainly could have used some DVC points for something and then paid cash for our week-long family trip in August (in 2012 we rented points at Wyndham Bonnet Creek and had a great trip. Minus Hurricane Isaac.)
Obviously I don't know the answer to that question. And it partially depends on little things like: What contracts are available in the near future? How much do we owe in taxes this April? (We pay quarterly so it wouldn't be surprising if we owe something by April 15th.) Etc. I feel strongly that I won't let buying DVC compromise our family's financial situation/cash flow. Despite the fact that we've gone to Disney no less than twice a year since 2009, I've held off on DVC because of that.
My strategy for now is to keep researching. I can already see that if we chose BWV over BCV we could probably get at least 160 points without causing major financial strain. And maybe even with BCV or BLT we could afford the 160 points. I kind of want to see what the accountant says about our taxes before I commit to anything.

Thank you!

Amanda

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Completely agree and understand your concerns. We currently have 280 points at AKL that we bought direct with cash (we are a family of five). But we waited to purchase these points until we were sure that it did not compromise our financial situation.

Because you are careful, what ever you decide will be the right choice. Picking up smaller contracts and adding to it is a perfectly valid way to go. Just be aware, you probably will want to buy more points. We do!

Kidanifan08 - Great thoughts! Thank you!
Other than my husband I'm the only doctor in my family so when my mom collapsed on Christmas Eve, I was left with ALL the decision-making as well as the burden of trying to explain medical-ese to non-doctors. It pretty much sucked. (She arrested for no apparent reason and had a prolonged resuscitation which left no brain function...)

My one concern with BCV is the lack of a Grand Villa. That alone may make BWV or BLT more desirable. In the short-term we likely won't have the points anyway but we're already bringing my step-dad to Disney in August and I suspect we'll have to bring my MIL at some point... Just thinking out loud again.

Your point about Use Year echoes what my husband was saying last night. We plan our trips well in advance anyway so I think the cancellation issue is a remote one and not an active worry. I tend to buy plane tickets as soon as JetBlue releases the dates of travel (except in August because we're trying the Auto Train - God help us! ).

My one concern with BCV is the lack of a Grand Villa. That alone may make BWV or BLT more desirable.

I tend to buy plane tickets as soon as JetBlue releases the dates of travel (except in August because we're trying the Auto Train - God help us! )

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I am currently casually watching BCV and BWV resales. I have never stayed at BCV, but I love the thought of having SAB at BCV. My biggest concern with that resort is views. Now that we have had a BW view, I am spoiled! Of course, now that we are primarily traveling in summer, I am fairly certain that we can stay at BCV and experience the pool in the summer. In fact, with our upcoming trip in July, I could have easily gotten 8 nights in a 2BR dedicated at BCV. The lower price point of BWV and the Boardwalk view rooms may ultimately win out. What I really want is to have points at one of those resorts for F&W.

With regards to airfare, we always buy at the 6-7 month mark and then watch for any price reductions. If they lower the price, we call for a credit!

I am currently casually watching BCV and BWV resales. I have never stayed at BCV, but I love the thought of having SAB at BCV. My biggest concern with that resort is views. Now that we have had a BW view, I am spoiled! Of course, now that we are primarily traveling in summer, I am fairly certain that we can stay at BCV and experience the pool in the summer. In fact, with our upcoming trip in July, I could have easily gotten 8 nights in a 2BR dedicated at BCV. The lower price point of BWV and the Boardwalk view rooms may ultimately win out. What I really want is to have points at one of those resorts for F&W.

With regards to airfare, we always buy at the 6-7 month mark and then watch for any price reductions. If they lower the price, we call for a credit!

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It's good that we are all different because a BW view holds no interest to me. I'd rather get a good view of Trumbo Canal at OKW. We've stayed at BWV once and that was plenty for us.

It's good that we are all different because a BW view holds no interest to me. I'd rather get a good view of Trumbo Canal at OKW. We've stayed at BWV once and that was plenty for us.

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I had to google Trumbo Canal . . . I am not very familiar with that resort. My BIL has owned there since 1994 and they love it. We love staying at Kidani. I am always surprised at all of the negativism about that resort . . . I have even seen someone suggest that it looks like a prison

I love hearing all these different perspectives! With our youngest mildly disabled and therefore in a stroller for at least a few more years, bus transportation is sometimes annoying. That's one reason Epcot area appeals to us so much. We like being able to walk to 2 parks. Then again, we tend to go to bed early and I've heard that Boardwalk view rooms can be noisy at night.

Completely agree and understand your concerns. We currently have 280 points at AKL that we bought direct with cash (we are a family of five). But we waited to purchase these points until we were sure that it did not compromise our financial situation.

Because you are careful, what ever you decide will be the right choice. Picking up smaller contracts and adding to it is a perfectly valid way to go. Just be aware, you probably will want to buy more points. We do!

IMO it's not a worry, just smart planning. It doesn't cost anything extra to buy the best UY for your Disney vacations.

We have had 2 unexpected events that caused us to cancel and bank our points, our UY saved us both times. We had a death in the family and a forced job relocation.

Bill

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Good point.
I know when we've been going but also realize our plans may change as the kids get older. Which makes it a little hard to predict. For now Sept would be a bad choice bc August is our annual trip but we may lose August when the kids are in high school... Hmmm.

You also need to remember that BWV has no dedicated two bedroom villas. They are all lockoffs. That means that the second bedroom is merely a studio - so one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa, plus the kitchenette and the door to the outside corridor. So if you need to worry about the kids trying to open that door at night, you might have a problem. BWV only has seven GVs, too.

Sorry... i had to go there.. Just want to send you lots of luck to your soon to be purchase..!!! We sure you'll make the right choice..! I"m a newbie and just recently bought SSR and not too long after that - bought a small BLT contract.. Just love it!

You also need to remember that BWV has no dedicated two bedroom villas. They are all lockoffs. That means that the second bedroom is merely a studio - so one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa, plus the kitchenette and the door to the outside corridor. So if you need to worry about the kids trying to open that door at night, you might have a problem. BWV only has seven GVs, too.

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I did not know that! Thank you!!!
So what you're saying is that I need a small-ish BCV contract and a small-ish BLT contract. Then I can stay BLT for Marathon Weekend for the monorail to the start and BCV in August with the kids. And if I want to spend Christmas with the extended family I can stay in a Grand Villa at BLT? I think I need to work more to afford that....

Sorry... i had to go there.. Just want to send you lots of luck to your soon to be purchase..!!! We sure you'll make the right choice..! I"m a newbie and just recently bought SSR and not too long after that - bought a small BLT contract.. Just love it!

I did not know that! Thank you!!!
So what you're saying is that I need a small-ish BCV contract and a small-ish BLT contract. Then I can stay BLT for Marathon Weekend for the monorail to the start and BCV in August with the kids.

Amanda

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I have to add that the dedicated 2brs w/2 queen beds at BCV are a little hard to get. Before we bought at BCV I was on the waitlist for 7 solid months for one and it never came through. There aren't that many of them.

After we bought I thought I secured one at 11 months for this coming Sept but when I called to modify that reservation the other day I was told that it was a 2br w/1 queen bed and a sofa in the 2nd br. None available now.

Good point.
I know when we've been going but also realize our plans may change as the kids get older. Which makes it a little hard to predict. For now Sept would be a bad choice bc August is our annual trip but we may lose August when the kids are in high school... Hmmm.

Amanda

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We hate the warmer months at WDW so our Oct UY for our stays between Oct and May works great for us.

Have you considered VWL? We own at VWL and BLT and love the theming at VWL better. Seems more like a family resort and it's only a boat ride away from the MK.

I have to add that the dedicated 2brs w/2 queen beds at BCV are a little hard to get. Before we bought at BCV I was on the waitlist for 7 solid months for one and it never came through. There aren't that many of them.

After we bought I thought I secured one at 11 months for this coming Sept but when I called to modify that reservation the other day I was told that it was a 2br w/1 queen bed and a sofa in the 2nd br. None available now.

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There are only 25 dedicated two bedroom villas with two queen beds in the second bedroom. All the other dedicated two bedroom villas were a bit smaller, so they have one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa.

I have to add that the dedicated 2brs w/2 queen beds at BCV are a little hard to get. Before we bought at BCV I was on the waitlist for 7 solid months for one and it never came through. There aren't that many of them.

After we bought I thought I secured one at 11 months for this coming Sept but when I called to modify that reservation the other day I was told that it was a 2br w/1 queen bed and a sofa in the 2nd br. None available now.

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I don't mind the sofa bed so much as long as there isn't an outside door.

There are only 25 dedicated two bedroom villas with two queen beds in the second bedroom. All the other dedicated two bedroom villas were a bit smaller, so they have one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa.